Preserving/Maintaining Cast From Rust

[Machspeed 219]

I want to keep with a relatively factory stock appearance to some of the suspension components on my car. Many of those parts are bare cast that will, in time, rust. With the exception of powder coating, what is the best product to either paint or preserve these parts?

Thanks,

John 

   

[Mach1 Driver 596]

Ford did what is known as the Parkerizing process on many of the sheet metal parts instead of painting.  I assume it would work on any ferrous material, but how to do that on large objects is the issue. You can Google it to see how its done.

[JayEstes 173]

This is a really good question - I hope people have some good answers for you.  I am facing the same problem with trying to maintain a cast look on the master cylinder, but nothing I coat it with can take the brake fluid it inevitably winds up seeing.  I thought I had a really good solution by using clear 2 part epoxy (the shiny coat over epoxy floors) - but even this material in continual contact with brake fluid breaks down and comes off.  I cleaned/stripped/derusted both the booster and the MC, and they looked pretty good going back in - and the booster has held up since little to no brake fluid gets on it - but the MC looks like hell already.  Here is what they looked like BEFORE going back in:

I am ready to take the MC out and go get it powder-coated since I can't think of any other way to treat the MC that can hold up.  I'll be looking forward to the replies you get.

I'm only sending because I think in areas where there isn't a huge amount of heat NOR brake fluid the 2 part epoxy can work.

 

 

 

 

[JayEstes 173]

20 minutes ago, Mach1 Driver said:

Ford did what is known as the Parkerizing process on many of the sheet metal parts instead of painting.  I assume it would work on any ferrous material, but how to do that on large objects is the issue. You can Google it to see how its done.

That is really interesting.  I just watched this video on parkerizing:

It is typically used on steel, do you think it would work on cast iron parts?

 

 

[Mach1 Driver 596]

BuckeyeDemons build is very detailed and I use it as my Bible on restoration. It is called "69 Mach 408w build" and is here under the Project Progress Forum. I thought it so valuable I made an index for him and we got it added to the front of his thread. You may get some ideas if you look up "paint colors, misc. parts, pg21".

[Mach1 Driver 596]

31 minutes ago, JayEstes said:

That is really interesting.  I just watched this video on parkerizing:

It is typically used on steel, do you think it would work on cast iron parts?

 

 

Yes I think,  anything that is ferrous (has iron in it). But maybe cast iron has too much iron in it? That's a good video because they sell the chemicals and have those long tanks for gun barrels. I would ask Brownells, I bet they would know.

[Machspeed 219]

Jay,

I've been doing my own searching on this, just wanted some input from others. I sent my booster out to be rebuilt, told them to leave it bare metal. I will be painting it with SPI black epoxy which is not affected by brake fluid. In fact, I will be painting my whole engine bay in SPI black epoxy. Do a search on it if you question it.

Looks like the best thing for the master cylinder may be an Eastwood product: https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-brake-gray-aerosol.html?SRCCODE=PLA00020&msclkid=e1e066df4428197d7c9f386e346eb8f7

I may paint my factory calipers with a caliper paint, not sure what I will do with the other suspension components. I did purchase a coating off Amazon call Fluid Film for some steering components. Seems to have good ratings. Not sure though that I want to crawl under there ever so often and spray those parts. You can see it here:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008T8CXGY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If anyone else has thoughts and contributions to this, I'd like to hear ya?

 

 

[Machspeed 219]

12 minutes ago, Mach1 Driver said:

BuckeyeDemons build is very detailed and I use it as my Bible on restoration. It is called "69 Mach 408w build" and is here under the Project Progress Forum. I thought it so valuable I made an index for him and we got it added to the front of his thread. You may get some ideas if you look up "paint colors, misc. parts, pg21".

Yes, I was on there the other day looking at his build but I could not find specific information on what he used. Lots of stuff on what he was considering, just not what he did. Perhaps I overlooked it.   

[Mach1 Driver 596]

4 minutes ago, Machspeed said:

Yes, I was on there the other day looking at his build but I could not find specific information on what he used. Lots of stuff on what he was considering, just not what he did. Perhaps I overlooked it.   

Well the index has over one full page of references to painting various things. If you have questions you can always ask him- he still pops in occasionally.

[Machspeed 219]

BTW Mach, tbanks for putting that index together.

[Mach1 Driver 596]

11 minutes ago, Machspeed said:

BTW Mach, thanks for putting that index together.

No problem. Initially I put it together for my own use, but I think it may have been RPM who was able to put it up front on page one so everyone could find it. After all, there is no point in burying it somewhere in the middle where no one can find it. I think my small contribution makes the thread very useful, and ya gotta admit, that is one sweet car he built. I liked his approach; the testing, and his attention to detail.

[aslanefe 346]

14 hours ago, JayEstes said:

This is a really good question - I hope people have some good answers for you.  I am facing the same problem with trying to maintain a cast look on the master cylinder, but nothing I coat it with can take the brake fluid it inevitably winds up seeing.  I thought I had a really good solution by using clear 2 part epoxy (the shiny coat over epoxy floors) - but even this material in continual contact with brake fluid breaks down and comes off.  I cleaned/stripped/derusted both the booster and the MC, and they looked pretty good going back in - and the booster has held up since little to no brake fluid gets on it - but the MC looks like hell already.  Here is what they looked like BEFORE going back in:

I am ready to take the MC out and go get it powder-coated since I can't think of any other way to treat the MC that can hold up.  I'll be looking forward to the replies you get.

I'm only sending because I think in areas where there isn't a huge amount of heat NOR brake fluid the 2 part epoxy can work.

 

Jay, just a reminder; don't forget to disassemble the MC before powder coat as the rubber seals inside might get damaged when they bake it.

When I put in a new MC last year, I used one of those spray can paints that is supposed to resist the brake fluid, kind you have to bake after applying. It is silver in color and I disassembled it and baked it in the kitchen owen (while wife was at home). It has some discoloring now where brake fluid touched but it is in decent shape after 1 year.

[barnett468 418]

parkerizing will leave it a dark color and it can still rust.

 

the high temp cast iron paint you brush on then bake is one of the better deals.

 

[Mach1 Driver 596]

2 hours ago, barnett468 said:

parkerizing will leave it a dark color and it can still rust.

the high temp cast iron paint you brush on then bake is one of the better deals.

 

And what is that exactly?

Eastwood's high temp gray can be brushed on manifolds, allowed to dry 24 hrs then the engine is run 20 minutes. But it doesn't say anything about baking it on parts that don't get direct engine heat. You must be talking about something else.

[barnett468 418]

On 5/6/2020 at 3:25 PM, Mach1 Driver said:

And what is that exactly?

Eastwood's high temp gray can be brushed on manifolds, allowed to dry 24 hrs then the engine is run 20 minutes. But it doesn't say anything about baking it on parts that don't get direct engine heat. You must be talking about something else.

nope, that is it. I have used in on master cylinders many times. It is not required to bake it on but it is better, plus it can be dried with a high watt hair dryer or heat gun which is better than not heating it at all.

[v8ford70 98]

Has anyone tried Graphite Dry lubricant spray on their un painted manifolds as a coating.

[Ridge Runner 1,153]

There is a spray on high temp cast iron paint ,i think it is duplicolor but cant remember for sure . I used it several times and it works well . The trick is to warm up the part being painted first . After the manifold is installed only run the motor long enough for the manifolds to warm up ,do this a couple of times and it will bake the paint ,if you let it get to hot right off it will blister

[v8ford70 98]

I had painted mine with VHT high temp paint not long ago & it has been flaking off.Interested in the Graphite spray I saw on Classic Car Restorstions if anyone has tried this, but if not may try the Dupicolor the way you have suggested Ridge Runner.Cheers Phil

[Mach1 Driver 596]

10 hours ago, barnett468 said:

nope, that is it. I have used in on master cylinders many times. It is not required to bake it on but it is better, plus it can be dried with a high watt hair dryer or heat gun which is better than not heating it at all.

For those interested, Barnett is referring to Eastwood's 10395Z in a rattle can or 34105Z by the pint

[v8ford70 98]

On 5/12/2020 at 12:34 PM, Ridge Runner said:

There is a spray on high temp cast iron paint ,i think it is duplicolor but cant remember for sure . I used it several times and it works well . The trick is to warm up the part being painted first . After the manifold is installed only run the motor long enough for the manifolds to warm up ,do this a couple of times and it will bake the paint ,if you let it get to hot right off it will blister

Is this what you used Ridge Runner.

[simplyj 26]

I'm a big fan of POR15 cast iron grey detail paint.  Hard as a rock and withstands most oils, grease, etc.  

I've used it on everything from the spindles (pictured below) to motorcycle wheels.  It's not a catalyzed paint so won't hold up to sustained brake fluid exposure, but works well for most things.  

 

https://www.por15.com/POR-15-Detail-Paint

[Machspeed 219]

Didn't know they made such a product. Thanks for sharing! You know, I don't know what to think of POR-15. I see a ton of very negative comments on the product, especially in paint forums. It's almost as if people have a love/hate opinion of it with nothing in the middle. 

[simplyj 26]

1 hour ago, Machspeed said:

Didn't know they made such a product. Thanks for sharing! You know, I don't know what to think of POR-15. I see a ton of very negative comments on the product, especially in paint forums. It's almost as if people have a love/hate opinion of it with nothing in the middle. 

I'm not a fan of the por15 rust preventative paints or chassis paints, but these detail paints are fantastic.  Cast grey is the best out of the three options as the stainless and aluminum versions have a slight sheen (similar to the duplicolor cast paints).  The cast iron grey on the other hand has a matte finish that really does look pretty close to raw cast iron.  

[JayEstes 173]

On 5/21/2020 at 1:44 PM, simplyj said:

I'm not a fan of the por15 rust preventative paints or chassis paints, but these detail paints are fantastic.  Cast grey is the best out of the three options as the stainless and aluminum versions have a slight sheen (similar to the duplicolor cast paints).  The cast iron grey on the other hand has a matte finish that really does look pretty close to raw cast iron.  

Do you think it would hold up to constant exposure to brake fluid on a master cylinder?  Brake fluid eats just about any kind of paint.

[v8ford70 98]

On 5/12/2020 at 12:34 PM, Ridge Runner said:

There is a spray on high temp cast iron paint ,i think it is duplicolor but cant remember for sure . I used it several times and it works well . The trick is to warm up the part being painted first . After the manifold is installed only run the motor long enough for the manifolds to warm up ,do this a couple of times and it will bake the paint ,if you let it get to hot right off it will blister

Ridge Runner I had sent you a PM.Cheers Phil